MLB News

Top prospect Jimenez tallies 4-hit game

By
Max Gelman

May 21, 2018

CHICAGO -- Eloy Jimenez continues to rake for Double-A Birmingham.The White Sox top prospect and No. 3 overall prospect per MLBPipeline recorded his first four-hit game of the season Saturday against Rays-affiliate Montgomery. Jimenez tallied two doubles and two singles in a 4-for-4 effort, collecting at least four hits for

CHICAGO -- Eloy Jimenez continues to rake for Double-A Birmingham.The White Sox top prospect and No. 3 overall prospect per MLBPipeline recorded his first four-hit game of the season Saturday against Rays-affiliate Montgomery. Jimenez tallied two doubles and two singles in a 4-for-4 effort, collecting at least four hits for the first time since last July 23, when he went 5-for-6.Though his 15-game hit streak was snapped earlier this month, Jimenez still ranks third in the Southern League with a .959 OPS. His seven home runs are tied for second in the league despite Jimenez, 21, having missed the start of the season with a pectoral injury and the fact that he hasn't hit a home run since May 8.What are other notable White Sox prospects up to? Here is a rundown:Dylan Cease, RHP, Class A Advanced Winston-Salem
So far this season, Cease has shown an impressive knack for rebounding after tough starts, accomplishing the feat again this week.Cease, the White Sox No. 5 prospect and No. 56 prospect overall, turned in a solid six scoreless innings May 18 against the Rangers-affiliated Down East, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out six. This comes one week after an outing where he lasted just two innings and gave up seven runs, raising his ERA from 1.95 to 3.67.The 22-year-old had bounced back earlier this season on May 1, pitching seven scoreless innings and striking out 12 one start after lasting just 3 2/3 innings while walking six. Cease's May 18 start lowered his ERA to 3.12, and he now owns a 48:18 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Luis Alexander Basabe, OF, Class A Advanced Winston-Salem
Basabe had cooled off earlier this month, but he appears to be back to his hot-hitting ways.Over the weekend, Basabe, the White Sox No. 13 prospect, began a new hitting streak against Down East thanks to a three-hit performance on May 18 that included a double and home run. Basabe has hit in his two following games, making it the fifth time this season where he's collected hits in three consecutive games.The 21-year-old's season-long stats continue to shine as well. Basabe's .905 OPS is second on the team behind only fellow top prospect Micker Adolfo, and his six home runs are tied for fifth in the Carolina League.Jordan Stephens, RHP, Triple-A Charlotte
Stephens, the White Sox fifth-round pick in the 2015 Draft out of Rice, earned a promotion to Triple-A Charlotte this past week, and succeeded in his first start at the highest Minor League level.The 25-year-old righty, and No. 20 White Sox prospect, threw six innings of two-run ball, giving up six hits and no walks while striking out five against Tigers-affiliate Toledo. In seven starts with Double-A Birmingham, Stephens had owned a 4-3 record with a 2.95 ERA, striking out 40 against 12 walks.Stephens suffered a torn UCL and had Tommy John surgery in 2014, but he found success at Winston-Salem two years later once he was drafted. His '17 season was abbreviated with forearm tendinitis, though he pitched to a 3.14 ERA in 16 starts with Birmingham.